Most people are going to expect that the truck driver here might at least share some blame for not noticing a compact car wedged under his front bumper.
Turns out there were actually two genius drivers here, though. The driver of the little blue Micro Machine apparently veered in front of the truck, causing the original impact...that apparently Mister Lorry Driver didn't see, hear or feel.
Therefore, in a tremendous show of jurisprudence, the local tribunal decided the truck driver should not only keep his license, but praised him for basically being inattentive to his surroundings:
‘You showed, in my view, coolness and a clear head. I feel it is entirely inappropriate for me to take away your licence. You, your employers and the haulage industry should be able to hold your heads up high after this incident.’
Okay, it's one thing to exonerate the man, but don't try to make him out as some sort of hero because he was oblivious. I understand there's a huge blind spot in front of semis that they are trying to correct with mirrors, but 'hold your heads up high' is not a logical conclusion to this thing. It's like in this 2007 incident with a big truck and a wheelchair -- the truck driver's not a villain (he just didn't see the person in front of him), but that doesn't mean he deserves any kind of praise, other than 'Thanks for stopping after we had to flag you down to tell you you're about to kill someone'.
If we're going to praise the truck driver, let us also praise the driver of the Matchbox car who pulled in front of him, for...hmm, let's see...I guess for being so gentle in colliding with him that he didn't even realize she had melded with his bumper and become his de facto parking brake.
So without further ado, I wish to take this moment to recognize both drivers in this incident with the highest praise this modest writer can afford to such fabulous displays of driving and attentiveness:
WAY TO GO, GENIUS!
If only more drivers would follow your examples, I could probably quit my job and blog full-time. Which would be a great thing, to not have to be on the road with drivers like you.
By the way, how do you have the presence of mind to record a video like that?? Imagine the scenario: they must have already been filming something, and then a semi pushes a subcompact down the road past you. That must have been surreal.
Got a story or photo of a Genius Driver? Send it to blog (at) metamorphilia (dot) com.
